Two Is Better than One
by awesomesauceliz
Summary: Steve only thought he was alone. But his perception changed when he rescued (and got beaten up by) another Player, Alex, and she flips his world...by getting kidnapped. "Why should I care?" was his first thought. But later events may change his mind... Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1: Who the Hell Are You?

(For the sake of ease, even though Minecraft players (Steve and Alex) don't technically have a gender, I'm assigning Steve and Martin a male gender and Alex female.)

When I first woke up in the middle of that huge forest, it's safe to say I was overwhelmed. I could remember who I was to an extent, and what I could and could not do for the most part, and other basic things. I didn't know how I knew, I just did, and that was half of my problem. I spent the next two weeks or was it longer? trying to piece things together. Why was I the only one like myself around? How long did this world stretch out? Why was I here? These questions were soon dispelled as I had other things to occupy myself, such as the monsters that come out at night.

Yeah, it's not pretty when the sun goes down. Zombies, skeletons, creepers...it gets messy very, very quickly. Instincts were what kept kept me alive those few days it took for me to get my feet under myself. I built a makeshift house, gathered food, even made some armour and eventually went mining.

Still, none of this seemed to make sense. It was all hunky dory, but what was the reason behind it? Survival? Creation? There were so many things I wanted to know but didn't have a place to start. At least, until I met another player.

I'd been on my own for quite a time by then, still confused, but pushing it back more and more as the days passed. But one night, while I was out mining, I stumbled across the body of another player. They had orange hair, a green tunic, and leather pants and boots. This player, later identifying themselves as Alex, was out cold due to blood loss from an arrow wound to their shoulder. I couldn't just leave them there, so I slung them over my shoulder and took them back to my now much better-built house, and waited for them to wake up.

Well, Alex did, but it wasn't exactly a pleasant conversation that followed. She whipped out of bed and tackled me, pinning me to the floor. I threw her off and pushed her against the bed saying that we could do this the hard way or the easy way. She chose the hard way, and slammed her foot into my heel, and I wince remembering that pain. Then she kicked her leg up, catching me in the jaw as I doubled over to clasp my foot. I sprawled backwards, but grabbed onto her hair and yanked her back with me, and lay one out to her jaw.

After a lot more injuries were issued to her and myself, I finally managed to pin her to the floor. Blood was been streaming from my lip, which she had broken, and my mouth was filling with blood from my gums where she'd knocked a tooth out.

"Will you quit struggling? I'm not going to kill you!" I growled, and she looked at me with wide, unbelieving eyes.

"That's exactly what Martin said," she hissed, and headbutt me so hard I knocked out.

When I woke up, Alex was nowhere to be seen, and all my chests had been ransacked. I cursed, drawing my diamond sword. _Why didn't she just kill me?_ I wondered, my brow furrowing in anger, but I shook that thought away and burst out the door.

There was no sign of where she went, and the sun was going down. _No point in chasing after her,_ I thought as I grumbled and went back inside, throwing myself onto my bed, wincing from the pain. My stomach growled as I fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Why Didn't You Just Kill Me?

I woke up to a loud, frantic scream. I shot out of bed, my sword in my hand as I rushed out of the house. I got out in time to see Alex, who was running towards me, but I couldn't tell what was chasing her. However, I could tell she was in danger, and actually felt my legs start running towards her. I had just gotten a hold of her hand as she chucked something at me. But an Enderman unlike any I've ever seen, as it was white-eyed, not purple, appeared behind her, and the sound of static filled my ears for an instant. It took hold of her shoulders and disappeared, and the noise stopped, too. I still feel the touch of her hand being pulled away, even now.

The thing she had thrown at me had managed to fall down my shirt; a chain necklace with a locket, I would soon find out. But at that moment, I was shell-shocked. _What the Nether just happened?_ I thought, but a hissing behind me snapped me out of it and I swung around, smashing my sword into the creeper's side, killing it instantly. It was still dark, and I needed to recoup. I gathered what little wits I could together and head back inside, turning a safety mechanism on.

After hearing the sticky pistons retract, opening a chasm that went all the way down to the bedrock, I sat down on my bed, fidgeting with my shirt and untucking it from my pants. Something fell out, and I remembered it was the thing alex had thrown at me. But, at that time, I didn't even know her name. They were just someone else. Or some _thing?_ I didn't know. The villagers I'd talked to referred to me as a human, but I wasn't sure…

It was a very beautiful piece, made of gold, barely a scratch on it. I opened it to find that there was not a picture but an entire book in it. That tends to happen with storage units, they hold a crap more than they let on. I took the book out and opened it.

 _You,_

 _if your reading this then i managed to find you and get the locket to youplease dont lose it ive been having bad notions that something was going to happen so when i woke up in your house i thought the day had come but when i was done raidingyour stuff which im sorry for) i just couldnt kill you your a handsome bloke yknow that and i never said thank you for saving me bytheway pleease donnnt hate meimbeing chaedhelpME_

The text at the end of the message was sloppy, and I guessed it was then that she realized she had to run. I laughed, a sharp, near-hysterical laugh. " _You're a handsome bloke -" Where the hell did that come from? Dammit, I wish she'd just killed me and been on her way! Why'd she come back? I can't help her! I barely know anything about this world, what makes her think I can rescue her from...whatever the Nether she's managed to piss off!_

 _Now I've got her_ and _everything else on my mind! It's bad enough I don't know my purpose or really anything else for sure, now there's her! Why should I care? She stole from me, beat the shit outta me! But I can't help but feel like if I don't save her, I..._ I fell back on my bed, rubbing my face. Water was coming out, but not sweat; it was coming from my eyes. I couldn't understand why there was a tight pain in my chest. I'd never really cried until then. I was aware of how frustrated I was, but I couldn't calm down. It was so unfair! But, I continued to sob until I passed out, curled up with my knees to my chest.

 **Steve.**

What's going on?

 **Listen to me. There is not much time.**

Who is this?

 **I am Notch.**

Who?

 **You will learn.**

But -

 **Quiet now, there are other important matters at hand.**

What do you mean?

 **The person you saw, her name is Alex. She needs your help. Whether or not you are able to save her, that is solely up to you. Do not take this lightly. You are going to face a challenge more difficult than you could ever expect, and you are going to need all the assistance available.**

But why should I help her?

 **Because, you know you couldn't live with yourself, knowing that she'll die if you don't.**

But she won't! Will she…?

 **I know. She is a very capable young woman. However, even the bravest, most determined souls can be broken.**

What the Nether am I up against, Notch?!

 **The question is who -**

Who?!

 **He is a force to be reckoned with... he was my brother.**

Just tell me!

…

 **Herobrine.**


	3. Chapter 3: What Am I Missing?

BTW: Who's ready for a much longer chapter? ^u^ Yay! Anyway, please keep an open mind with this story. There are things that will be introduced that might not be "canon" so to speak, (I mean, look what I've done with Steve and Alex aha) like the concept of Spawns and Children (capitalized for a reason), which will be explained later. I know, I said that last chapter…"More on that later." I promise, things are going to start connecting soon! This is going to be a long story, and a bumpy ride, so buckle up! Also, when in the story someone says "years" they mean Minecraft years, which pass much quicker than real-life human ones.

 _Herobrine?_

 **Yes. Be** _ **exceedingly**_ **cautious. He's gone mad with power, and knows no limits.**

 _But what does he want with Alex?_

 **That I cannot say even I know. I fear there's much more to the story than I am aware of.**

Do you know where the Enderman took her?

 **I fear she's been taken to The End.**

Oh, geezus.

 **I have faith in you, Steve. But you must go. Wake up.**

 _Wait! One last question - How did I get here? Why haven't I changed for the last ten years? And why me? Why can't -_

 **There is much for you to learn. When you awake, there will be a map on the table. Follow it and speak with Rek-tan. He will tell you what you want to know. Now,** he said, and I felt a strong pulling sensation in my gut, **rise, my child. Good luck.**

I woke up sweating. Sure enough, there was a map on the table, and it lead to a village a good distance from my house. I took a deep breath, _I need to save Alex, but I also need to know._ I tucked the map in my inventory and pulled on a grim, determined face. _Perhaps I can kill two birds with one stone…?_

A few minutes later, I was getting up on my saddle, and riding off to the east at a steady pace. I wanted to get to the village before sundown, but as time went on I realized that might not be possible. As day quickly turned to night, I near panicked when I saw I was still quite the distance from the village. _I'll be damned if I don't try,_ I thought as I spurred my horse along. But, just then, an arrow whizzed past my face, and Sugar, my snow-white horse, reared, and threw me off. I shot the Skeleton and one-hit killed it, but zombies, creepers, and spiders were on our trail. I swung back up onto Sugar and screamed, "Go!" and the horse channeled its fear to its hooves and took off. I was scared for my own life, and the life of my horse. I had loved Sugar for the past two years, and if an arrow struck any of the ligaments and tendons in her legs, she could get crippled for life.

It was close. Too close. I nearly cried with relief when I saw the village, sitting peacefully in the middle of the grassy plains. Sugar was limping badly, an arrow sticking out from her side, and I had multiple ones coming out of my shoulder and one in my thigh. I pushed my faithful horse for one last jump over a fence and quickly descended, crying out in pain as I hit the ground, then ran for cover.

I knocked, or, banged on a villager's door, "Hello? Please! My horse is badly injured, and I don't have any wheat!" I heard Sugar whinny in pain, and tears started pouring down my face. A Farmer Villager opened up the door, looking stunned as all get out.

"Oh, goodness! A _human_!"

I was mildly confused, "Have you never seen one before?"

She shook her head, but said, "Not for years, at least. Now, what's that you said about your horse?"

"I'm afraid I had to leave her in your backyard," I said, wiping some tears off of my face. "She's been shot, and we've been riding all day, so she's tired and injured which is the worst combination please help m-"

She cut me off my taking my shoulders and bringing me inside, "Hush, hush. Le-le!" A kid villager, looking to be around fourteen, came running around the corner.

"Yes, moth-" She stopped when she saw me, her eyes getting wide.

"Get this poor man some of the freshly baked bread," the woman instructed. "While I go tend to his horse."

"But, ma!" she said, not whining, but more in fear.

"I'm taking my chances, now do as you are told!" she said firmly.  
"Thank you," I squeaked, and the woman smiled in a motherly way.

"Absolutely," she said as she ran and grabbed some wheat from a chest and went outside. I followed her, my bow and arrows out in case anything tried to attack. But a little tug on my sleeve stopped me as I got to the doorway. I looked down to see a very young villager, probably no older than six or seven.

"Mister, you aren't going to kill us like the last one, are you?"

I was stunned. _Who last came though this village?_ "Absolutely not, little guy,"I said I knelt down next to the frightened child. I glanced up, seeing a small movement, and two more little villagers scurried to hide behind a door. _Most of these villagers are very young,_ I thought, frowning. _Whoever it was must've done a number to the village's population._ My hand tightened around my bow as I stood, knocked an arrow, and fired at the creeper approaching the woman who was getting my horse her feet. The little villager didn't run, even with another arrow knocked, which mildly surprised me. But an approaching zombie demanded my attention, and I shot two arrows at it, one after another in rapid succession.

"She's just about healed," I heard the villager say, and a few moments and two dead zombie later, she was closing the door behind me.

"Thank you so much, ma'am," I breathed, putting away my weapons. She smiled warmly, and an elderly villager, a cleric, came out of a room.

"Who is it, Tek-shay?" the old villager asked, and the woman replied.

"I do not have his name. His horse was badly injured, and," she stopped, looking around, then said, "Le-le, where is this man's bread?"

Le-le came running back around, looking frightened, and cautiously handed me three loaves of bread. "I'm sorry, mister," she said, forcing the address. I felt my brow pull together.

"What in the Nether happened to this village? Who came through that's made everyone afraid of humans?"

"Oh, my boy. We've alway been wary of humans. However," he said, his eyes glittering angrily in the torchlight, "A certain individual came through and desecrated the village only three weeks ago. One in three were killed and many houses were set ablaze that night." I could tell his fists were clenched inside his robe sleeves. "Since then, we've been dreading the idea that the same man would come back and finish us off. But he hasn't shown. As for you," he said, looking me dead in the eyes, his own as green as emeralds while mine were purple. But his gaze faltered as he sighed, and looked down.

"I'm so sorry, sir," I said. "If there's anything I can do, I'll be willing to oblige. But, may I ask if there's a villager by the name of Rek-tan in this village?"

I could barely tell that the mention of his name pained the old villager. "That is me. What business do you have, my son?" For some reason, I felt like he wasn't just calling me son out of acceptance.

"I've been sent by Notch," I replied awkwardly. The youngest ones all gasped, and the little one by my side's hands flew to cover his mouth in shock. "My friend's been kidnapped, and he thinks Herobrine is behind it." The gasps and expressions turned from amazed surprise to horror.

"Notch's dead brother?" Rek-tan asked, his head snapping up. He paced back and forth for a moment. "That's quite the news…"

"Yeah, but," I said, and the villager stopped, and looked at me expectantly. "He really sent me here to find you so that you could explain a few things to me."

Rek-tan paused for a moment, looking away then back at me, then nodded. "Of course. Sit and eat. Tek-shay, Le-le, Ren, you are all excused, get the others to bed. It's late," he said, and the others did as they were told, and soon it was just the faint cracking of the ever-burning torches.

"Sit," the older villager said, motioning to some chairs. I chose one and sat down, him doing the same, and took a ravenous bite of bread; I had been starving but I didn't want to be rude. But now, I was eating like a man deprived of food for days on end. Once I finished eating, I sighed, leaning back a little.

"Thank you for the bread," I said. The old man chuckled, and shook his head.

"You shouldn't thank me. It is Le-le that does the baking around here. Now, Steve," he stopped, his eyes widening and his mouth clamping down. I was so confused.

"You call me son like you mean it...You know my name even though I haven't told you…" I trailed off, trying my hardest to remember the face in front of me, but I couldn't. I got so frustrated. "What is going on? I'm even more confused now!" I leaned forward, balling my fists in my hair.

Rek-tan reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder, and I turned my head and looked at him, a few tears of resentment lining my eyes. "Steve, I am afraid telling you what you want to know would be disasterous."

"I don't care!" I shouted. It'd been at least fifteen years since I first woke up, alone and dazed, and I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't know what would happen, but I meant what I said. I honestly couldn't have cared less.

Rek-tan considered my outburst with pursed, worried lips, and sad eyes. "If you insist. Perhaps it would be for the better you knew?"


	4. Chapter 4: When Did I Lose Myself?

_BTW: Ah, so here comes the big part where you're gonna have to work with me. Hang on! It might get confusing if you're one of those "skim readers," who just quickly read the text and barely absorb it. Also, if you were wondering, the villagers' names are made up of nonsensical sounds, I'm not trying to go for any specific language's sound._

"It was forty-one years ago," Rek-tan began, and I leaned in closer in anticipation.

\- Flashback (third person)-

A much younger Rek-tan, about 34, was helping to build a house with his older brother, who was 36. Tek-shay, was gently cradling a very young Le-le in her arms and talking with another villager. "That should hold it," Rek-tan said, wiping the sweat off of his face and stepping back to admire their work. A tall, uniform house loomed over them, the newly setting sun silhouetting it against the sky.

"Missing something, dear?" Tek-shay asked, tossing an oak door her husband's way.

Rek-tan laughed heartily, "You're absolutely right," he said as he picked up the door and set it in place. His brother, Malon, suddenly jumped, and yelled for Tek-shay to get inside. "What is it, brother Malon?" Rek-tan said, grabbing his brother's arm in alarm.

"A human," Malon hissed, his brow furrowing, and Tek-shay scrambled inside, the villager she was talking to already hurrying to do the same.

"Brother, we mustn't assume he or she will be the same as people claim," Rek-tan tried to reason, but Malon shook his head, taking his brother's arm as well and pulling him inside.

"Absolutely _not,_ I will not allow you or anyone else in the family to interact with the human. Malon's own wife came running to the door, throwing it open and hustling them inside.

"Come, come! We mustn't let the human know we are here," she whispered frantically.

Rek-tan pursed his lips before tearing away from his brother's grasp and flying out the door, disregarding his brother's shouts after him.

Rek-tan heard barely a sound as he ran through the village before he finally met up with the human, who was dragging themselves across the grass, a trail of blood following them. "Dear Notch, have mercy on this pour soul," the villager whispered as he pulled the man to his feet, but he promptly stumbled and fell, and it was then Rek-tan could see just how injured the man was. Deep bruises, gashes, and multiple broken arrow shafts, it was a wonder he was even alive.

"Mister, come with me, you must be healed."

"Cleric," the man breathed, his voice distant and weak. "Where's the Cleric?"

"I am a Cleric, but we have to get you inside, mister!" Rek-tan said, and began hauling the man towards his house. But the stranger's hand flashed up and gripped the villager's arm like a vice, his eyes clear with intent.

"A Potion of Forgetting - I need one," he said, his voice still weak, but Rek-tan could tell he was serious.

"Why in Notch's name would you want a Potion of Forgetting? And where did you hear that I had one?"

The man began coughing violently, and blood splattered the ground. "No where, that doesn't matter," he said, and Rek-tan's heart jumped as he heard zombies approaching. He began pulling the stranger towards his house more frantically.

"Please, my good sir! I will give you one, just come with me!" The man paused, staring at him with slight disbelief, but soon picked himself up a bit and hobbled as quickly as he could with the villager, the sounds of zombies getting louder from all around them.

"Rek-tan!" It was Malon. "Get inside right -" he froze with terror, seeing his brother hauling the human, the thing everyone had closed their doors and locked their children in their rooms in fear of. Forget the creatures of the night, humans were much, much more dreaded.

"Brother! Help me!" Rek-tan pleaded, but Malon's terrified gaze told him that there would be no help from him.

They just barely got in in time. As Rek-tan lay the man out on the floor, his brother came over and began shouting. "Have you gone mad, brother?" the enraged sibling shouted. "Bringing this vile creature into our house - what are you thinking? Throw it out to die!"

"Notch have mercy on your soul if I should lay my hands on you!" Rek-tan snapped. "This man has done nothing to harm us. Should the actions of the past be repeated with this one, I shall be at fault, but I will _not_ leave this man to the horde of zombies at our door!"

Malon glared at his brother, but turned and stormed off. "Fine," he spat over his shoulder before going to him and his wife's room and slamming the door behind him.

"I-I'm sorry," the man mumbled. "I didn't -"  
"Quiet, now," Rek-tan said, going and grabbing some pork chops from the stove. When he handed them to the man, he took them feebly then chowed down. Rek-tan guessed that he hadn't eaten in a long, long time.

"Thank you," the man whispered, the wounds all over his body slowly healing. He pulled out twenty-seven emeralds, "Will this be enough for the potion?"

Rek-tan gently pushed them back, "Never mind emeralds, boy. However, I have a mind to not give you that potion after all."

He sobered up again, and it almost scared Rek-tan. "What do you mean? I _need_ that potion!"

Rek-tan pondered the man in front of him. Slender, looking around twenty-seven, and would be able-bodied, but worn out and deprived by lack of nutrition. Clothes tattered with dirt and blood stains, he was obviously worse for wear. "What in the name of Notch almighty did you run into that you want to forget so bad?"

He seemed to think about that for a second. "I ran into a woman, and I fell in love," he said quietly. "But I made a mistake."

"My child, we all make mistakes," Rek-tan said, gently laying a hand on the human's shoulder, but the stranger just shook his head.

"This one… I'll never live it down unless I forget it." He looked up, tears in his eyes. "Please," he begged. "I don't want to live with it anymore!"

Rek-tan placed his other hand on the other shoulder, firmly holding onto the man. "What is your name, child?"

"Steve," he said, looking down. "My name is Steve, and I fucked up!" He balled his fists, pressing them into his knees. "I… I messed everything up, and I can never forgive myself for it!"

"Child, just let it out," the villager said calmly.

"I lost her," Steve whispered, tears silently falling from his eyes.

"Who? Your lover?"

"No, my daughter."

"Your _daughter_?" Rek-tan repeated, stunned. He then pulled up Steve's shirt enough to see his stomach. "Ah," he whispered. "You're a Spawn, that's how."

Steve looked at him, confused, with tears still streaming down his face. Rek-tan shook his head.

"Never mind. Steve, you must forgive yourself. The Potion of Forgetting will erase all knowledge except for what the Creator has given you, not just a certain event, or chain of even -"

"I don't care! I don't want to remember _any_ of it!" Steve shouted, his hands going up to his face. "

"Boy, listen to me!" Rek-tan said sternly. "I will give you the potion," he started, and Steve's eyes flew up to look at him. "But only if you can endure four moon cycles without it."

The human stared at him, almost incomprehensibly. "You promise?" he asked.

Rek-tan nodded. "I promise. I am a villager, after all. I must honour my agreements."

Steve nodded, "Fine. Four months, then I can forget everything…"

"But, you have to at least try to see the things I will show you," Rek-tan added, and Steve nodded weakly then passed out.

For the next month and a half, Rek-tan was teaching Steve about less common knowledge that he wasn't aware of. _He's a Spawn, so that makes things a little bit easier,_ Rek-tan thought as he explained Spawns and Children to the human.

"Spawns are, well, spawned into this world by the Creator, or, in this specific case, Notch. A Child, or Children, are born into this world. Spawns have basic knowledge whilst Children must be taught. You are a Spawn, which is why you knew what you did when you first woke up."

"But, what's our purpose?" Steve asked, looking down at his diamond sword. "Why did Notch create us?"

"Boy," which was what Rek-tan referred to Steve as, "that is not a question for me. You should ask him yourself." Steve nodded, and continued examining his sword.

Later, Rek-tan began teaching Steve about inner peace. For a while, it seemed like he was getting better, and more accepting of himself.

By the time it came down to the final week, Rek-tan had even seen Steve crack a smile, and exchanged jokes with the children, who had grown accustomed to the human.

Then, one day, Rek-tan had gone out to help his wife, and when he came back to the house, Steve was gone, but his instincts told him all he needed to know. He ran out of the house, shouting Steve's name when a strong hand clamped onto his shoulder.

"Brother Rek-tan," came the villager's voice. It was Malon. "He's gone."

Rek-tan balled his fists, then whipped around and smacked Malon so hard he staggered backwards. "How _dare_ you! I had one more week - how dare you give him the potion!"

Malon glared at his younger brother with a look that could have curdled milk ten times over. "How dare you lay a hand on me! Besides, he practically begged for the potion!" Malon sneered. "I was doing the man a favour!"

"What in the name of Notch are you talking about?" Rek-tan couldn't believe that Steve was so unhappy he would beg for relief.

"I mean, he came up to me as soon as you left, and dropped to his knees and begged! Like a pathetic mutt begging for food!" his brother spat, and Rek-tan nearly smacked him again. But he only fell to the ground, on his hands and knees, punching the gravelly ground, tears of frustration and failure flowing silently off his face.

Meanwhile, Steve was running. Tears fell behind him, but he focused on one thing; it was all going to be over soon. _I'm sorry, Rek-tan. I really, really am. But I can't take it._ He stopped in the midst of a huge birch forest, the sun about to set. He placed a bed down and uncorked the potion, staring at the cloudy, clear liquid before emptying the bottle in one gulp and lying down on the bed. As his eyelids drooped, the potion began taking effect, and one last tear fell down his cheek, he thought one last thing as darkness consumed his body and mind: _Most of all, I'm sorry, Alex._

(Whoops, I forgot to mention it would be a long chapter...sorry! -Liz)


	5. Chapter 5: Who Was I Before?

BTW: Lost? To sum it all up, Steve drank a Potion of Forgetting (not an in-game item) to erase all his memories from that point all the way back to when he first spawned. He'd still have his basic knowledge, like all Spawns do when they are first, well, spawned. That's right, Spawns have all the information they need to get started, while Children (people/creatures who are born into the world) have to be taught (in the cases of being a(n) human/villager).

I leaned back, looking at the floor. Rek-tan was right. I remembered _everything._ "Oh, Notch," I whispered. "Alex is my _daughter?"_ The villager next to me looked confused. "I don't know. You never said the name of your daughter...you wouldn't even say much about what exactly happened to her." But I remembered. -MORE FLASHBACK-

"Steve." The man knelt by the bedside of his lover, a red-haired woman with a brilliant smile. But she wasn't smiling now, and Steve knew she might never again. "It's too late. Just kill me now, or get away. Take Alex, keep her safe…" The sun that was high up amongst the clouds looked dreadfully out of place as Steve shook his head, tears running down his face, "Lauri, I'm not leaving you!" Lauri grabbed his shoulder, blood streaming from the open flesh-wound on her other arm where a stray, unexpected zombie had bitten her. "Go, Steve!" she shouted, and the man recoiled, knowing the transformation was happening. It pained him to even think about going, but he knew he had to, for Alex's sake. He gave her hand one last squeeze before the warmth left it and she joined the undead ranks that wandered the nights. He could finish her off, the thought of her blood on his sword would be impossible to cope with. "Alex? Alex, baby, come with daddy," Steve called standing and running out of the room, the iron door locking behind him. A very young girl came around the corner, hugging a teddy bear her mother had fashioned out of white and brown wool tightly to her chest. "Is mommy OK?" she whispered. Steve couldn't lie. "I was too late," he said quietly, and scooped the six-year-old up in his arms before grabbing everything he needed from the chests and stuffing it into his inventory bag: food, weapons, extra armour, a few potions, and plenty of wood and coal for torches. Alex began to cry, "Mommy!" she screamed, and Steve held her tightly as she flailed in his arms. "Take me back to mommy!" But her cries quickly turned to frightened shrieks when she heard growling and snarling from inside her parent's room, and Steve knew it was time to go. "Shhh, baby, it's gonna be alright," Steve said, trying not to let the tears falling from his eyes alarm her. Alex knew that whenever daddy cried, it was really bad, whether it was an injury or the situation. So she wasn't convinced as she buried her face in the nape of his neck, and Steve ran. He barreled towards the stable, where their trusty horse was waiting. Steve mounted the creature, unlocked the gates, and sped off towards the east, clutching the shaking, sobbing Alex in his arms. As the day progressed, Alex slowly began to calm down, and eventually went silent, and Steve realized she had fallen asleep. _We'll keep heading east until we find a village,_ Steve thought to himself. _That's the only safer place I can think of…_ When the sun began setting, Steve pulled the horse into a cave, blocking the entrance with wood and putting another wall inside the cave, then put torches around them in this enclosed area. The horse was fenced off to one side of the cave, and a crafting table placed. Steve woke Alex up long enough to feed her some soup before she fell asleep again, and Steve munched on a porkchop. He held his daughter close, listening as the mobs came out and praying that she didn't wake up to hear them, too. He continued to cradle Alex in his arms, her head on his chest, and her heart beating steadily, until he too succumbed to the tiredness. " !" The man in question was falling through darkness, and heard the letters of his name with some kind of rushing air noise in between them. He felt the looming sense of danger, like there was a ground that he was going to hit if he didn't stop descending. "STEVE!" It was female, but it was hard to tell who. "Lauri?" Steve called out, assuming that it was his wife whom he had just lost. "Lauri!" He flailed his arms, but he continued to fall violently. With a sudden drop in his stomach, Steve was prepared for what happened next. He hit the ground, or was it floor? with a sickening _crunch,_ and he heard someone scream. He wondered how he hadn't died instantly. "Why would you do that?" a girl shrieked, but it was fading, and everything went cold and white. Steve woke up in the cave, Alex still huddled in his arms. He gently shook her awake, and got them ready for another day of travelling. Steve mounted the horse with Alex clinging to his back, and they took off.  
They repeated the process, ride for the day, sleep for the night, until it was interrupted by a grim turn of events. Steve was sleeping, dreaming of nothing, when he woke up to Alex screaming. But when he opened his eyes, she wasn't there. She wasn't anywhere. The horse was worked up, but other than himself, there was no one else in their newest cave hideout. "Alex?" Steve called, but no matter how long and how much he searched, he couldn't find her. She'd just up and disappeared, and as time went on with no sign of her, he slowly felt like he was going to lose his mind. He finally decided to keep riding onwards to a village, but without Alex on his back or in his arms at night, Steve knew he couldn't forgive himself for what had happened. So, he decided to talk to the Cleric, and get a Potion of Forgetting. He knew they weren't supposed to give them to humans, but he'd brought along a hefty number of emeralds, just in case. So thus, he found the village where Rek-tan, Tek-shay, and the others reside. "You have an astounding memory," Rek-tan said, rubbing his chin, a grim look on his face. I sighed. "I wish I didn't, honestly." I rubbed my eyes, "Alex is my daughter, I know that now. She is a Child, so that's why she's aged but I haven't. So, where'd she go? I'm out to rescue her from...Herobrine, whoever that is." Rek-tan shivered a little at the mention of his name. "That creature, the one you last mentioned, is a force to be reckoned with," he said quietly. "That's exactly what Notch said," I said, my head snapping over to look at the villager, who shrugged. "It is very well known that Herobrine is a dangerous man...if he can even be called that at all." "Do tell," I said, leaning forward again. "It all started many, many years ago. So many, it's just taken as a near legend by now. Notch and Herobrine, they are brothers." "That he told me, too," I put in, rubbing my chin. "They did not get along well. Notch was always insisting that Herobrine, who was sadistic as it was, lighten up. They were like two halves of one man, one the good side and one the bad." \ "Notch referred to Herobrine being his brother in the past-tense," I though aloud. "What does that mean?" Rek-tan pursed his lips slightly. "That is no surprise. As I was saying, a long, long time ago, both Notch and Herobrine were creating this and the many other worlds. While Notch added peaceful mobs, such as sheep and pigs, Herobrine added the creatures that hunt and kill; spiders, zombies, creepers. While Notch did not necessarily approve completely of Herobrine's choice, in order to appease his brother, he let him do as he wished. "The peace did not last long, for one day, Notch awoke to find that his brother had laid waste to the land, and hellish creatures walked the earth and soil. It took a great deal of power, but the Creator managed to banish this evil from the world and using it to create a new one, one only accessible by portal. He named this place the Nether. "But so came the confrontation of the two brothers. Notch was furious at Herobrine for causing so much destruction, while Herobrine was going mad with power. But Notch only wanted his brother to be happy, although he had crossed the line. He gave Herobrine a last chance, but soon found out that Herobrine had killed himself and come back as an overpowered, undead monstrosity. All traces of humanity were lost, and the Creator realized that. "Feeling like he had no choice, Notch created a new world which hung silently in a black void. This world is now known as the End. He then exiled his brother to this new world. Not even Notch himself likely knows what Herobrine has been doing ever since; he broke all contact eons ago. "Wait," I interjected. "Notch thinks I'll be able to go up against his undead, super-powered brother?" Rek-tan sighed, "That I cannot say I know why. My only guess would be that there is more to you than even you know." I was silent for a second, looking at the ground. "So Herobrine can't get out of The End, is that correct?" "According to the holy book, yes." "So that's why he sent and Enderman to kidnap Alex." "Pardon?" "Alex is a Child, right? That's why she and I look relatively the same age, although I won't age and she will continue to. Well, I stumbled across her, knocked out, in a cave, and brought her back to my place so she didn't die. She woke up and beat the crap outta me, knocked _me_ out, then left, along with half my stuff." Rek-tan nodded, signaling to continue. "Then, the next day, I woke up to her screaming. I ran outside and there she was, running towards me. "It all happened almost simultaneously. I grabbed one of her hands, she chucked something at me, and an Enderman with white eyes appeared behind her. The next moment, she was gone, the thing she threw had fallen down my shirt, and I was so confused what had just happened." The old villager rubbed his chin. "Why did she attack you, only to come back?" "I have no idea," I replied. "She mentioned, uh, I think it was Marvin?" At the name, Rek-tan's head shot up. "What about that devil?" I shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through my hair. "She said he had said the same thing I had, which was 'I'm not going to kill you.' My guess is that he did eventually…" "Marvin," Rek-tan said with a dark scowl that unnerved me completely, "was the man who came through and desecrated our village!" I was, once again, taken back. "Rotten scoundrel," Rek-tan continued. "Preys on the weak and helpless," he seethed.  
"Sure sounds like it. I don't know, I hadn't seen another human around until Alex showed up." Rek-tan sighed, calming down. "Either way, you can't think of getting anywhere, much less fighting Herobrine as exhausted you are. Get some sleep, we can talk more in the morning." He didn't have to tell me twice. "Alright. Thank you," I mumbled, and he went and brought back some blankets and a pillow to me. I curled up right there in the chair. "Goodnight, son," Rek-tan said as he went into his room. "Night gramps," I replied. _Alex…_ I wondered, thinking to myself, listening to things growl and groan outside. _How are you doing, my (apparently) daugher?_ I laughed in my head. _Oh, Notch. What have I gotten into?_


End file.
